Chasing Emma
chasing bucket list adventures and experiences
An Attitude of Gratitude + 50 Things I am Grateful for
Earlier this year when I was in a total slump I bit the bullet and made an appointment with a counsellor. While there I received a metaphorical slap in the face. My counsellor told me that I should try adopting “an attitude of gratitude” by listing five things I am grateful for each morning.
For some reason, possibly because I was in such a deep pit of anxiety and self-pity, I instantly internally rejected what she was saying all the while I nodded my head and said things like “that sounds like a good idea. I think I’ll try it.” In my defence I did try it by keeping a gratitude jar on my desk at work, but I didn’t really commit to it. I probably put a grand total of 5 folded up post-it notes in the jar over a total of 3 months and chalked it up as something that just didn’t work for me.
Since starting a new job and emerging into a space of greater happiness I started thinking more and more about adopting an attitude of gratitude and what it actually means.
What are the Benefits of Gratitude?
Over recent years a lot of research has been conducted into the benefits of expressing gratitude on our social, emotional and physical health. Overall, research has found that people who regularly express gratitude and more likely to experience fewer illnesses, aches and pains and are more likely to engage in activities that promote their health such as regular exercise and eating healthy foods. They are also likely to experience a greater sense of optimism and self-esteem, and develop deeper social connections. This all makes sense if you subscribe to the idea that you get what you give.
But the thing with adopting an attitude of gratitude is that it can be really hard when you first start out. So here is a list of 50 things I am grateful for today that might inspire you to make your own list.
- Sitting in the sun on a warm winter’s day
- Videos on social media about cute dogs/cats/other animals
- The smell of brewing coffee
- Chocolate
- Head massages
- Manicures that make you feel like the bomb
- Video streaming services
- Fluffy pillows and warm quilts
- Friends
- Fresh fruit
- Access to a pool on a hot summer’s day
- Access to the internet
- Accessible, safe drinking water
- A warm meal for dinner
- Sunrises and sunsets
- Music to fit my every mood
- Gluten free muffin mix
- Books – at the library, at home and on Kindle
- My Nintendo DS (and Animal Crossing)
- Looking back through holiday memories
- Board games!
- Access to a gym membership
- Procedures that make it easier to take a genuine sick day
- Access to thrift stores
- My indoor plants which make my living room look alive
- A comfy couch
- A roof over my head
- Starry skies
- The red dirt of the outback
- Easy to access hiking trails
- A loving family
- Access to affordable health care
- Having my personal space
- Cuddles and spooning
- Being able to clean my house
- Pillow forts
- A great group of colleagues
- Having a working car
- Travel blogs that inspire
- Eucalyptus oil
- My students who even when they drive me crazy, are amazing
- Earrings
- Cafes
- Watching the local wildlife out my window
- My camel pack
- A freshly made bed
- Freshly shaven legs
- Hearing the words “I love you”
- The ability to change my life on my own terms
- Being able to think of 50 things to be grateful for
What are you grateful for?
About Me
Hi there! I’m Emma, an Aussie with a bucket-list and a goal to check every item off my list. Join me on my bucket-list adventure as we experience as much of the world as possible.
Chasing Emma 